Yunmao Ayakawa
February 25, 2013 
Hello, Otaku USA readers.
Con Season 2013 is in full blast and on the weekend of February 15-17, Katsucon had its 19th annual celebration of everything otaku! Each President’s Day weekend, Katsucon attracts an average of 10-12 thousand loyal fans and curious first timers to the otaku friendly Gaylord Hotel at National Harbor, Maryland. This year Special Guests included voice actors Christopher and Greg Ayers, and Crispin Freeman; voice actresses, Monica Rial and Jamie Marchi; artist Steve Bennett; gaming mastermind and blogger, Lisle Wilkerson; musical act from Japan, The Sound Bee; and many, many more.
There are a few unique aspects to Katsucon which makes it extra special for cosplayers. For one, you cannot speak about Katsucon without mentioning the Gaylord Hotel itself. The Gaylord is a spectacular hotel with a huge glass enclosed atrium attached to their lobby and is home to a small seasonally decorated villa-styled neighborhood, complete with huts, trees, gazebos, shops, and a view overlooking the Potomac River to die for. It is the perfect setting for any cosplayer or photographer to capture that romantic or fantasy image. Another unique aspect of Katsuson is their hosting of the World Cosplay Summit! The World cosplay Summit is the ultimate competition for cosplayers around the world and comes to an annual grand competition each year in Tokyo, Japan.
To discuss this is very exciting for me, because I am personally tied to both events. I myself have been an Honored Guest at Katsucon and I annually cover The World Cosplay Summit in Japan. YAY!
But not every cosplayer can join in the World Cosplay Summit competition and many great cosplayers still attend Katsucon just for fun and to express their love of cosplay. Here are few pictures!
